J-Lens : Perspective on Japan #1.1

 Talk on

Theory of Kawaii (Cuteness)

By Yomota Inuhiko

1. Ho Chi Minh City

2. Hanoi

* With Vietnamese interpretation

* Recommended for audiences over 13 years old, as the lecture includes academic content

[J-Lens series #1.1 – Theory of Kawaii]

Discover the deep cultural power behind Japan’s global “kawaii” phenomenon, guided by one of the nation’s most insightful cultural critics.

The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam is pleased to present a special lecture by renowned cultural critic Mr.Yomota Inuhiko, one of Japan’s most influential voices in film studies, comparative literature, and popular culture. Mr.Yomota, celebrated for his groundbreaking analysis of Japanese aesthetics, will illuminate the global rise of kawaii—a cultural sensibility that has become a defining symbol of contemporary Japan.

In this talk, Mr.Yomota explores how kawaii moved from the pages of children’s books and early shōjo (girl’s) culture to the heart of Japan’s creative industries. Drawing on examples ranging from Hello Kitty and Doraemon to Pokémon, Ghibli characters, and the visual language of manga, anime, fashion, and character design, he reveals how kawaii aesthetics continue to shape the way Japan communicates softness, playfulness, and emotional nuance.

More than a simple notion of “cuteness,” kawaii is now a cultural code recognized and desired around the world—from art exhibitions in Europe to street fashion in Southeast Asia. Mr.Yomota traces its historical roots, its transformation through postwar social changes, and its role in expressing vulnerability, connection, and imagination in an increasingly complex world.

This lecture invites audiences in Vietnam to rediscover kawaii as a profound cultural force—one that links history, identity, and creativity, and continues to inspire people across borders.

What is the “J-Lens: Perspective of Japan” series?

J-Lens explores Japan through diverse intellectual “lenses,” offering new ways to understand its culture, society, and history.

Rather than presenting facts alone, each session shows how scholars ask questions and conduct research within their fields. Through these perspectives, audiences are invited to rethink culture, society, and humanity in fresh and engaging ways.

For inquiries on the lecture and speaker interview, please contact at:

The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam Mr. Kaneko: Ryota_Kaneko@jpf.go.jp | 024-3944-7419 (127)

Ms. Nhung: NhungNLH@jpf.go.jp | 024-3944-7419 (145)

https://www.facebook.com/japanfoundation.vietnam/                  https://hn.jpf.go.jp/

(only for the lecture in Ho Chi Minh City)

Woman’s Publishing House Branch in Ho Chi Minh City No.16 Alexandre de Rhodes, Sai Gon Ward

Mr. Nghia: nghia.cnnxbpnvn@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/cnnhaxuatbanphunuvn/                    https://nxbphunu.com.vn

(only for the lecture in Hanoi)

White Light Cinéhub

T3.6, COMPLEX 01, Alley 167, Tay Son Street, Kim Lien Ward 

Mr. Minh: program@whitelightcinehub.vn | 0379-133-873

https://www.facebook.com/whitelightcinehub                           https://www.whitelightcinehub.vn/          

■ Credit 

The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam

Co-organizer: Women’s Publishing House Branch in Ho Chi Minh City  *only for the lecture in Ho Chi Minh City

Co-organizer: White Light Cinéhub *only for the lecture in Hanoi

■ Speaker information　　　

Former Professor YOMOTA INUHIKO

Essayist, Critic, and Poet

Born in 1953 in Minoh, Osaka, Former Professor Yomota Inuhiko studied the history of religions at the Faculty of Letters, the University of Tokyo, and comparative literature at an independent humanities-oriented graduate school. 

Research interests 

He is currently devoted full-time to writing on a wide range of cultural phenomena through film, literature, manga, theatre, and food culture.

Professional Experiences 

For many years, he taught film studies as a professor at Meiji Gakuin University. He has also served as a visiting professor or visiting researcher at institutions including Columbia University, the University of Bologna, Tsinghua University, and Chung-Ang University in Seoul. 

Publications

Recent publications include Approaching Shinran (Kōsakusha), The Promise of Poetry (Sakuhinsha), Korea as Our “Unconscious” (Sakuhinsha), An Ode to Folly (Kodansha), Pier Paolo Pasolini and Luis Buñuel (Sakuhinsha), and Oizumi Kokuseki (Iwanami Shoten).

His poetry collections include Rika and Johannes of the Broom (Minato no Hito). His novels include Setting All the Birds Free (Shinchosha), The Speed of Summer (Sakuhinsha), and Martial Law (Kodansha). His translations include works by Paul Bowles, such as Let It Come Down and The Spider’s House, as well as Collected Poems of Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Achievements and Awards

Former Professor Yomota Inuhiko has received numerous literary and cultural awards, including the Saitō Ryokuu Literary Prize for Tsukishima Monogatari, the Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities for An Invitation to Film History, the Itō Sei Literary Prize for Moroccan Exile, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for Luis Buñuel, and the Ayukawa Nobuo Prize for The Promise of Poetry.

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All photos credit: ©️ Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam